


A Warm Weasley Welcome

by CorinaLannister



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Christmas at the Burrow (Harry Potter), Fluff, Gift Giving, M/M, Meeting the Family, POV Draco Malfoy, Ugly Christmas Jumper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:49:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28465593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorinaLannister/pseuds/CorinaLannister
Summary: Harry invites Draco to the Weasley family Christmas gathering on a whim. Draco imagines a large gathering, like the ones they used to host at Malfoy Manor. He is very wrong.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 28
Kudos: 91
Collections: H/D Mistletoe Exchange 2020





	A Warm Weasley Welcome

**Author's Note:**

  * For [false_heteros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/false_heteros/gifts).



Draco sighed, thinking over the invitation he had received, inviting him to a Christmas party at the Weasley family home, from Harry Potter himself. One should feel honoured to be extended an invite by the Boy Who Lived. It had been so unexpected that he remembered it clearly. The shyness with which it was uttered. 

_You know, you could come to the party if you’d like. I’m sure Molly won’t mind one more person turning up. 7pm._

When he was given it he couldn’t help but to turn his nose up at it. He hadn’t outright declined to Harry’s face at least, so that had to count for something. He had even nodded at him, a sign that he had heard. That had been about two weeks ago, and he had thought about it often since then. The main questions coming to mind were; why had he been invited at all? And if he were to go, what would he do when he got there besides stand on the sidelines? 

Sitting in his study, alone, his home felt empty. It was just him and a bottle of butterbeer. And a clock. One that he kept looking at. Watching it, the time for the party was coming up. His mind not letting go of the minutes ticking down to the Weasley Christmas party. 

Yet, thinking it over, he had no other plans for the holidays. Surely anything would be better than sitting alone? As soon as he got there he could stand at the edge of the room, eat some free food and create the illusion of being a part of something before leaving early. Maybe he could do that at least? His mind wouldn’t let the invitation go. He wasn’t accepted among the other Slytherins, not anymore, but truth be told he wasn’t all that interested in being around them. A lot of them were Death Eaters, or close to them. He wanted no part of that. 

When the time ticked over to one minute past 7pm Draco allowed his mind to rest. It is only when that happens that he relaxes into his seat. He couldn’t very well show up late, could he? 

An errant memory comes to mind. 

_Being fashionably late is the way to go._

He had heard Harry say it once, just before the Yule Ball. His face flashed before his eyes; he didn’t need a Remembrall to know what Harry looked like. The picture was clear as day. 

He jumped up off his seat as his mind screamed at him to get up and do something. Specifically to go visit the Weasleys. But, first, he needed to get out of his silver and black bathrobe. 

Only a short while later, with the help of some magic, Draco had made himself fully presentable. He even stopped to grab another large bottle of butterbeer. It was customary to give a gift to the host after all. Since he was unlikely to see the host, the small cost of his gift would go unnoticed. 

When Draco apparates away from his property line, he stops short. The Burrow was nothing like Malfoy Manor. Not even close. 

A mistake had been made. Surely this was the wrong place. The home was too small to house enough people for a Christmas Ball. There was no sign of bustling activity. Not a lot of people outside. No raucous loudness. A party would lend to all of that and more. Something was amiss. A trap? Draco only just stopped himself from drawing his wand when the door to the house opened. 

Yet, it is only Harry who appears at the door, his face pulling up into a smile at seeing who had turned up. Draco noticed that he was wearing the most garish Christmas jumper with a blindingly large H on the front. 

“You made it. Be sure to come inside quickly. Molly has put dinner on the table already.”

“I bought you- our hosts this,” Draco says awkwardly after walking the distance to the doorway, holding out the bottle for Harry to take. 

“Thanks. I’ll give this to Molly. I’m sure she will appreciate it greatly.”

Harry ushers Draco inside. Draco is surprised when Harry helps him out of his coat. He watches as it gets gently stowed away. 

“Just go through the door there. Follow the smell of the food. I’ll be right behind you,” Harry said to Draco. The sound of laughter and joking is coming from one of the rooms. So he follows that, as well as his sense of smell. 

It was only when he rounds the doorjamb to the dining area that he realises the gravity of his mistake in accepting the invitation. 

It was an _intimate_ affair. 

Not the large ball he had been expecting. There would be no hiding here. No sneaking some food and leaving without being noticed. He would have to converse, take part in the festivities. 

Silence descended upon the Weasley family table as he observed the room. Bright and gaudy, clearly-homemade decorations lined the walls. In the centre of the room was a table where the Weasley clan sat staring at him. Most with incredulous faces - like they hadn’t quite believed that he would show his face. Molly Weasley had a knowing smile on her face. Whereas Ginny Weasley was straight up glaring at him. Like he had stolen something from her. 

Draco is startled by Harry appearing in the doorway next to him. Close enough so that he could feel his body heat. He looks at him. Their faces are so close, close enough for him to have another, clearer picture of it for him to remember. The last time they had been this close he had not cared for committing the face to memory. He had been solely focused on revenge and on one upping the great Boy Who Lived. He had dared to utter the horrid word, a word he will never utter again. Mudblood.

_Don’t you ever insult Hermione in front of me again. You and me, Malfoy. The Trophy Room. Midnight._

Harry’s hand ghosts over Draco’s back to push him further into the room, jolting him from his musings of when they were enemies. Thus making him notice he had been standing in the doorway doing nothing. 

Luckily, the Weasley clan had gone back to conversing amongst themselves and none were looking his way, save for Mrs Weasley. Her smile had grown even wider. 

There were only two empty seats at the table. Both next to one another. Near to the end of the table where Mrs Weasley was sat opposite them, and Mr Weasley was sat at the head of the table. When Harry directed him to one of them, it had not yet occurred to him that he would be sitting beside Harry until he too sat down. He was only thankful he did not have to sit opposite the Weasel and Weaselette. 

The table had been set for him. He had a place, just for him. The actual table and the food - It reminded him of the Hogwarts banquets. There was an extensive array of food on the table to choose from. 

“Draco bought this,” Harry said to the table at large, placing the bottle of butterbeer onto an empty space on the table. 

Draco could not help but feel guilty about his gift. He ends up ducking his head in shame at the thoughtlessness of it. But after a chorus of thank yous, the atmosphere of the room towards him warmed up instantly, an he looked up, no longer greeted by any incredulous looks. 

“Put some food on your plate, Draco. You’re a growing young man,” Mrs Weasley said to Draco before proceeding to magically make another set of mismatching glasses, mugs and cups come before them. The butterbeer was shared equally between everyone. 

Draco is amazed when all the Weasley’s, including Mr and Mrs Weasley raise a toast. To him! Of all the people. He couldn’t help but feel even more ashamed of his gift, yet oddly touched at the inclusion. The back of his throat started to hurt but he pushed it down and set about collecting some food onto his plate. 

When Draco only served himself a small helping, Mrs Weasley took it into her own hands to place another hearty serving onto his plate. 

He just stared at it before feeling a slight pain in his leg - someone had kicked him. When he looked to Harry, who was undoubtedly the culprit, he saw as Harry moved his eyes towards Mrs Weasley and back again. It took him a while to understand. But, both he and Mrs Weasley were looking at him expectedly. Even Mr Weasley had stopped eating his food to look between the three of them. 

“Thank you, Mrs Weasley,” he finally said. When Harry winked at him he knew he had done the right thing. 

“Nonsense. Call me Molly,” Mrs Weasley says to him in a motherly fashion. “Oh. Before I forget. I got you something.” 

In his surprise, Draco almost drops the fork from his hand. He succeeds in catching it but not before a brussel sprout flies off it and rolls along the table into Harry’s lap. 

Harry tries and fails to contain his laughter, and upon seeing this Draco cannot help but to smile. He outright laughs when Harry accidentally snorts. 

A package comes into his vision. It’s wrapped in simple brown paper with string tied around it. Accepting it from Molly, he finds it to be squishy. 

When he opens it, he does so with care, not wanting to rip the paper unduly. He does not notice the silence that has once again fallen over the room. 

Once he sees what is inside he looks again at Harry, his eyes drawn to the H on his jumper. Draco pulls a hand-knitted jumper up out of the wrapping paper, letting it unfurl. It has a D on it, matching the style of Harry’s jumper. Now that he thinks about it, he looks at the other members of the Weasley family. They all seem to have on a jumper with a letter on. Even Hermione has one with an H on it. 

“Thank you, Mrs- Molly. It’s...great,” Draco replied, almost tearing up at the thought of fitting in with Harry and his family. 

“Aren’t you going to put it on?” Harry teased him. 

“Yes. What an excellent idea, Harry. I’m sure Draco would love to put that on,” Mr Weasley chimes in. 

“I'd love it if you were to put it on,” Mrs Weasley says. Her smile widening even further. 

Draco acquiesces. Once he puts the jumper on he feels accepted like he is part of the family already. After that, the dinner flies by without any further incidents. Although, not once, not twice, but three times Harry’s hand touches his underneath the table. Surely not a coincidence. He is almost sad when it is time to leave and reaches his hand for the first time to brush against Harry’s.

When he makes his apologies and says goodbye to all of the Weasley family, he almost lets the tears start falling, but stays strong. When Harry offers to walk him out, Draco thinks he will be shown to the door, but Harry walks with him all the way to the apparition point. 

He had misjudged Harry and his family. Some families were better than others after all. His initial interactions with Harry haunt him still to this day. 

_You’ll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter._

If only he knew then what he knew now. The truth of that statement hit him fully now. It might have changed his whole time at Hogwarts. It was the start of their less than perfect relationship with each other. 

As they say their goodbyes, it seems to him as if they both want to linger in each other's company. Neither of them wanting to leave. But eventually, he has to disapparate. 

Returning home, he realises why the Burrow and Malfoy Manor are so different. Where Malfoy Manor was cold, the Burrow was warm. The Burrow was everything Malfoy Manor was not, and he could only hope that he got invited there again. Especially if Harry Potter himself invited him. Or maybe he could invite Harry somewhere else.

**Author's Note:**

> ⛄ This work is part of the H/D Mistletoe winter gift exchange. If you enjoyed it, spread the love by leaving the author a kudos and a comment, and consider reblogging the [fest tumblr post here.](https://gwbexchange.tumblr.com/post/639495871181078528/a-warm-weasley-welcome-author-anonymous-for) ❄️


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